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Test No.2119
India 482 (Ashwin 103, Tendulkar 94, Dravid 82) and 242 for 9 (Kohli 63, Sehwag 60) drew with West Indies 590 (Bravo 166, K Edwards 86, Powell 81) and 134 (Ojha 6-47, Ashwin 4-34) The draw was the predicted result at the start of the final day at the Wankhede. It was a draw alright, but instead of the widely expected bore, India and West Indies served up one of the most extraordinary days of Test cricket, with the match ending with the scores level for only the second time in history. R Ashwin was the Man of the Match and Man of the Series, but wasn't the man of the moment for India when they needed two off the final delivery - he took a single, but didn't set off immediately for the tight second that could have sealed the win, and the clean sweep for India. Ashwin was run out, ending an hour of almost unbearable tension that showcased Test cricket's slow-burn thrills. Fidel Edwards, a man renowned for securing nail-biting draws with the bat, had done the job with the ball in the final over this time. A comatose Test had sprung to life on the final morning in Mumbai, as Pragyan Ojha and Ashwin ran through the West Indian line-up courtesy a combination of quality spin and atrocious shot selection. That left India a tricky 243 to get in 64 overs. Virender Sehwag then concocted another brisk half-century to set the early pace, before Virat Kohli forged his second Test fifty in two days to seal his place at No. 6 for the Boxing Day Test and keep India's pursuit on course. With ten overs to go, India were well in control - 42 away with Kohli and Ashwin at the crease, both youngsters brimming with confidence after making plenty of runs on the fourth day, and having their places for the tour of Australia confirmed earlier on the fifth. The pair took India within 19 runs of the target, and victory seemed a formality. That was when Kohli top-edged a catch to a hobbling Darren Sammy at gully. That put Ashwin in the spotlight. He revelled under responsibility all series, but the biggest test of his temperament had just arrived, as the required-rate increasingly gained significance. He was remarkably composed, often counselling the tailenders as the match wound its way to an impossibly tense finish. The most common chant in Indian grounds is the "Sachin, Sachin" mantra - the first word stretched out, the second short and sharp. A similar chant went around the Wankhede, only Sachin was replaced by Ashwin. As the light faded, so too did the West Indian fielding. They missed several direct hits, including two off successive deliveries in the penultimate over. One precise throw could have been a match-turner. Ishant Sharma began with a classic off-drive for four, and then scraped singles with Ashwin to bring it down to four runs needed off eight, with two wickets remaining. Ravi Rampaul then got reward for his give-it-everything burst, getting a ball to swerve past Ishant's bat and take out leg stump. The debutant Varun Aaron walked out, under far more pressure than he would have ever faced in his fledgling career. He inside-edged a single to keep strike for the final over. Three needed. Edwards bowled with a packed in-field, with only third man and fine leg deep to prevent any edged boundaries. His first ball was too quick for Aaron, the second was sharply fielded at cover, and third was a tailenders' mow that connected with nothing. A take-it-easy mid-pitch conversation followed. Rather than the batsman, it was the West Indian fielding that took it easy though, as yet another misfield provided an opening, with Marlon Samuels conceding a single to bring Ashwin on strike. Two off two then. Ashwin edged the penultimate ball onto the pad. No run, but with two wickets in hand, an India defeat had now been taken out of the equation. He pummelled the final delivery to long-on, and though Aaron was haring back to the non-striker's end, Ashwin was slow to turn around for the second, giving more time for a run-out at the wicketkeeper's end. When it mattered, the throw was spot on, Ashwin was run out with the scores level. The drama at the death made the topsy-turvy events of the morning seem humdrum. It had taken India nearly six sessions to get eight West Indian wickets in the first innings, but the same feat required little more than an hour on the final morning. The difference between West Indies' totals was 456, the fourth-largest in Test history, yet again highlighting their inability to put together two solid innings. Ojha sparked the collapse by removing West Indies' best batsman of the series, Darren Bravo, and their most experienced, Samuels, in one over. He snared the first five wickets of the innings, before Ashwin joined the party, and the two were in a race to top the series' wickets chart. It ended Ashwin 22, Ojha 20. While one Caribbean meltdown a Test is almost the norm, it was expected that even if India lost a few early wickets, the stalwarts in the middle order would at least hold out for a safety-first draw - especially against an attack that was missing Sammy, troubled by a leg injury. Devendra Bishoo was also hampered by a thigh injury. Sehwag made the most of three dropped catches, and though it wasn't his usual blast-from-the-start innings, there was plenty of typical audacity as he powered India along at five an over. It was all India as they motored past 100, before the twist duly arrived. Sehwag, the great entertainer, found an unusual way to get out - top-edging a full toss outside leg to short fine leg after attempting an insouciant reverse-paddle. Samuels then made up for the eyesore of a stroke he attempted earlier in the day, by wheedling out the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. India still had the iron-clad guarantee of VVS Laxman, perhaps the finest final-innings player around. For once, he couldn't stay till the end, and when another famous finisher, MS Dhoni, followed him soon after, it was down to the new boys, Kohli and Ashwin. They might not have taken India over the line, but were instrumental in one of the most dramatic denouements in Test history. If Test cricket's obituarists hadn't been daunted by Zimbabwe's brave but failed chase in Bulawayo, or the twists-and-turns of the South Africa v Australia series, this match should certainly keep them at bay. '''Fall of wickets: '''Fall of wickets: '''Fall of wickets: Fall of wickets: 1-19 (G Gambhir, 4.3 ov), 2-101 (V Sehwag, 19.1 ov), 3-106 (SR Tendulkar, 20.5 ov), 4-113 (R Dravid, 24.1 ov), 5-165 (VVS Laxman, 39.3 ov), 6-189 (MS Dhoni, 49.4 ov), 7-224 (V Kohli, 59.1 ov), 8-239 (I Sharma, 62.5 ov), 9-242 (R Ashwin, 63.6 ov) '''Match details *Series - India won the 3-match series 2-0 *Test debuts - Varun Aaron *Player of the match - Ravichandran Ashwin *Player of the series - Ravichandran Ashwin *TV umpire - Shavir Tarapore *Match referee - David Boon *Reserve umpire - Sundaram Ravi Close of play *'Day 1' West Indies 1st innings 267/2 (KA Edwards 65*, DM Bravo 57*, 91 ov) *'Day 2' West Indies 1st innings 575/9 (FH Edwards 7*, D Bishoo 2*, 181 ov) *'Day 3' India 1st innings 281/3 (SR Tendulkar 67*, VVS Laxman 32*, 80 ov) *'Day 4' West Indies 2nd innings 81/2 (KC Brathwaite 34*, DM Bravo 27*, 34 ov) *'Day 5' India 2nd innings 242/9 (64 ov) - end of match Match notes Day 1 *West Indies 1st innings *Drinks: West Indies - 36/0 in 12.0 overs (AB Barath 20, KC Brathwaite 14) *West Indies: 50 runs in 17.5 overs (108 balls), Extras 8 *1st Wicket: 50 runs in 108 balls (AB Barath 25, KC Brathwaite 17, Ex 8) *Lunch: West Indies - 80/0 in 30.0 overs (AB Barath 37, KC Brathwaite 35) *West Indies: 100 runs in 40.3 overs (244 balls), Extras 8 *1st Wicket: 100 runs in 244 balls (AB Barath 46, KC Brathwaite 46, Ex 8) *KC Brathwaite: 50 off 136 balls (6 x 4) *Drinks: West Indies - 109/0 in 46.0 overs (AB Barath 49, KC Brathwaite 52) *AB Barath: 50 off 128 balls (6 x 4) *West Indies: 150 runs in 58.5 overs (354 balls), Extras 14 *Tea: West Indies - 161/2 in 61.0 overs (KA Edwards 13, DM Bravo 4) *West Indies: 200 runs in 71.6 overs (433 balls), Extras 15 *3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 78 balls (KA Edwards 32, DM Bravo 19, Ex 1) *KA Edwards: 50 off 69 balls (8 x 4) *Drinks: West Indies - 226/2 in 76.0 overs (KA Edwards 51, DM Bravo 30) *New Ball Taken: West Indies 245/2 after 84.4 overs (KA Edwards 56, DM Bravo 44) *West Indies: 250 runs in 85.4 overs (515 balls), Extras 15 *3rd Wicket: 100 runs in 160 balls (KA Edwards 50, DM Bravo 49, Ex 1) *DM Bravo: 50 off 88 balls (7 x 4) *End Of Day: West Indies - 267/2 in 91.0 overs (KA Edwards 65, DM Bravo 57) Day 2 *West Indies: 300 runs in 99.4 overs (599 balls), Extras 19 *3rd Wicket: 150 runs in 244 balls (KA Edwards 72, DM Bravo 75, Ex 5) *Drinks: West Indies - 314/3 in 103.5 overs (DM Bravo 79) *West Indies: 350 runs in 110.6 overs (667 balls), Extras 19 *4th Wicket: 50 runs in 66 balls (DM Bravo 19, KOA Powell 33, Ex 0) *DM Bravo: 100 off 153 balls (12 x 4) *Lunch: West Indies - 378/3 in 121.0 overs (DM Bravo 105, KOA Powell 38) *West Indies: 400 runs in 128.1 overs (770 balls), Extras 19 *KOA Powell: 50 off 91 balls (7 x 4) *4th Wicket: 100 runs in 175 balls (DM Bravo 46, KOA Powell 52, Ex 2) *West Indies: 450 runs in 141.4 overs (852 balls), Extras 22 *Drinks: West Indies - 454/3 in 143.0 overs (DM Bravo 143, KOA Powell 73) *DM Bravo: 150 off 248 balls (16 x 4) *4th Wicket: 150 runs in 258 balls (DM Bravo 71, KOA Powell 75, Ex 4) *Tea: West Indies - 494/4 in 157.0 overs (DM Bravo 156, MN Samuels 18) *West Indies: 500 runs in 160.3 overs (965 balls), Extras 23 *Drinks: West Indies - 539/6 in 169.0 overs (MN Samuels 44, DJG Sammy 3) *West Indies: 550 runs in 173.2 overs (1042 balls), Extras 25 *MN Samuels: 50 off 89 balls (8 x 4) *End Of Day: West Indies - 575/9 in 181.0 overs (FH Edwards 7, D Bishoo 2) Day 3 *New Ball Taken: West Indies 579/9 after 181.6 overs (FH Edwards 7, D Bishoo 6) *Innings Break: West Indies - 590/10 in 184.1 overs (FH Edwards 11) *India 1st innings *India: 50 runs in 10.3 overs (66 balls), Extras 4 *1st Wicket: 50 runs in 66 balls (G Gambhir 19, V Sehwag 28, Ex 4) *Lunch: India - 74/1 in 19.0 overs (G Gambhir 30, R Dravid 1) *India: 100 runs in 25.3 overs (157 balls), Extras 8 *2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 95 balls (G Gambhir 22, R Dravid 26, Ex 2) *G Gambhir: 50 off 89 balls (7 x 4) *Drinks: India - 133/1 in 32.0 overs (G Gambhir 54, R Dravid 34) *India: 150 runs in 39.6 overs (244 balls), Extras 8 *R Dravid: 50 off 99 balls (6 x 4) *Tea: India - 172/2 in 47.0 overs (R Dravid 52, SR Tendulkar 20) *3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 93 balls (R Dravid 24, SR Tendulkar 27, Ex 0) *India: 200 runs in 53.1 overs (323 balls), Extras 8 *SR Tendulkar: 50 off 88 balls (4 x 4, 1 x 6) *Drinks: India - 236/3 in 66.0 overs (SR Tendulkar 50, VVS Laxman 4) *India: 250 runs in 69.3 overs (421 balls), Extras 8 *4th Wicket: 50 runs in 104 balls (SR Tendulkar 24, VVS Laxman 26, Ex 0) *End Of Day: India - 281/3 in 80.0 overs (SR Tendulkar 67, VVS Laxman 32) Day 4 *New Ball Taken: India 281/3 after 80.1 overs (SR Tendulkar 67, VVS Laxman 32) *India: 300 runs in 83.2 overs (505 balls), Extras 9 *Drinks: India - 327/5 in 91.0 overs (V Kohli 14, MS Dhoni 4) *India: 350 runs in 96.5 overs (586 balls), Extras 9 *Lunch: India - 376/6 in 105.0 overs (V Kohli 33, R Ashwin 26) *7th Wicket: 50 runs in 89 balls (V Kohli 22, R Ashwin 33, Ex 0) *India: 400 runs in 110.1 overs (666 balls), Extras 10 *R Ashwin: 50 off 59 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6) *V Kohli: 50 off 105 balls (5 x 4) *Drinks: India - 435/7 in 120.0 overs (R Ashwin 63, I Sharma 2) *India: 450 runs in 123.4 overs (747 balls), Extras 10 *R Ashwin: 100 off 117 balls (15 x 4, 2 x 6) *Tea: India - 482/10 in 135.4 overs (PP Ojha 0) *West Indies 2nd innings *Drinks: West Indies - 41/2 in 16.0 overs (KC Brathwaite 14, DM Bravo 7) *West Indies: 50 runs in 20.1 overs (121 balls), Extras 0 *End Of Day: West Indies - 81/2 in 34.0 overs (KC Brathwaite 34, DM Bravo 27) *3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 138 balls (KC Brathwaite 24, DM Bravo 27, Ex 0) Day 5 *West Indies: 100 runs in 41.1 overs (247 balls), Extras 3 *Drinks: West Indies - 117/6 in 47.5 overs (KOA Powell 10) *Innings Break: West Indies - 134/10 in 57.2 overs (FH Edwards 2) *India 2nd innings *Lunch: India - 16/0 in 3.0 overs (G Gambhir 9, V Sehwag 6) *India: 50 runs in 9.6 overs (61 balls), Extras 1 *2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 61 balls (V Sehwag 29, R Dravid 21, Ex 0) *Drinks: India - 93/1 in 18.0 overs (V Sehwag 53, R Dravid 27) *V Sehwag: 50 off 61 balls (7 x 4) *India: 100 runs in 18.5 overs (114 balls), Extras 1 *Tea: India - 148/4 in 34.0 overs (VVS Laxman 19, V Kohli 20) *India: 150 runs in 34.2 overs (207 balls), Extras 1 *5th Wicket: 50 runs in 88 balls (VVS Laxman 26, V Kohli 25, Ex 0) *Drinks: India - 188/5 in 49.0 overs (V Kohli 35, MS Dhoni 13) *India: 200 runs in 52.6 overs (319 balls), Extras 1 *V Kohli: 50 off 95 balls (2 x 4, 1 x 6) External links *Scorecard at Cricinfo.com Category:Test Matches